This is the most important chart about the stock market crash

It's easy to freak out over the US stock market crash when you see a CNN front page like this:

Get your guns, get your ammo.

And it is true that global stock markets have had a rough morning. The Dow fell 1,000 points in its first four minutes of trading Monday morning (although it has recovered a good deal since). Still, when you put that drop into context — as economist Justin Wolfers does — you realize that the drop pales in comparison to all the gains the market has made over the past decade.

The stock market plunge, in perspective. (10-year chart.) pic.twitter.com/M30thHhkrv

— Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) August 24, 2015

So, as the CNN homepage warns (in tiny font that you probably missed the first time): Don't panic. Definitely don't sell off your stocks. Perhaps visit this website. And remember that markets go up and down, and that in the decade-long scheme of things the market still has seen relatively robust growth.

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